On September 25, 864, a royal courier arrived in Caen, Normandy.
Breaking the wax seal on the letter, Gunnar read it line by line. Most of the message described the ongoing war in the Iberian Peninsula.
Since March, the Umayyad Emirate had gathered its forces and launched a full-scale offensive against the mountainous northwest kingdom of Asturias. King Ordoño, unable to hold out any longer, had appealed to the Franks for help, asking Charles the Bald to lend aid in the name of their shared faith.
After persuasion from the Church and certain nobles, Charles issued a decree calling on nobles to volunteer for the campaign in Iberia. Because the royal treasury was strained, each participant would bear the cost of war themselves.
"Fighting in Iberia…"
Gunnar stroked his thick beard and spread a parchment map across his desk.
In his mind, the richest lands in Europe lay along the Mediterranean coast. The Moors controlled both maritime trade and naval power there. If their cities could be breached, the plunder might be immense—enough to fund new fortifications and stabilize his finances.
There was another advantage.
During winter, the English Channel was plagued by violent storms, making large-scale invasions difficult. While he campaigned abroad, Vig would be unlikely to launch a major landing in Normandy.
"If I leave now and return next summer, I should have half a year to gather sufficient spoils."
Muttering to himself, Gunnar made his decision.
He assembled a force of over seven hundred men, including:
200 knights
200 mounted retainers
300 support personnel — grooms, cooks, and craftsmen
To maintain speed, even the support staff were provided with pack horses. The column marched south along ancient Roman roads. After more than half a month of travel, they crossed the passes of the Pyrenees and entered neighboring territory.
Guided by local soldiers, the army followed the coastline westward to the port of Gijón, then turned south, passing through the fog-covered Peaks of Europe mountain pass.
At last, a valley appeared ahead, nestled among mountains. The view suddenly opened wide, filled with orchards and wheat fields.
It was late October. The fruit had already been harvested. Locals brewed cider from apples, and the air carried the sweet scent of fermentation.
After crossing a stone bridge over the Nora River, the column entered the Asturian capital: Oviedo.
Gunnar ordered his troops to camp outside the city while he went inside to meet the king.
The city was small.
It had:
One main east–west road
Three smaller north–south streets
From the number of houses, Gunnar estimated the population at just over two thousand residents.
Inside the royal hall, the king expressed deep gratitude upon hearing the size of the reinforcements.
Gunnar replied fluently in Latin.
Soon, his attention shifted to a brown-haired youth standing beside the throne.
The boy carried himself with composure. His expression showed calm thoughtfulness.
His name was Alfonso, crown prince of Asturias.
The king was ill, and most state affairs were already handled by the prince.
After a short conversation, Gunnar found himself unconsciously comparing the youth to his own son Robert.
In truth:
Robert excelled at nothing
He was suited only to luxury
His learning lagged behind Alfonso
His martial ability lagged behind Henry, the illegitimate son
It was Charles the Bald's court that had softened him.
Gunnar quickly pushed the dangerous thought aside.
He turned back to the king and prince, asking about enemy numbers and tactics.
Based on past experience, the Umayyad state could field 20,000–30,000 troops for major campaigns.
Their most elite force was the royal guard, composed mainly of:
nobles
sons of rural landowners
Saqlabids
The Saqlabids were slaves or war captives from Eastern Europe. They were purchased in large numbers, trained professionally, and sworn to serve only the ruler in Córdoba.
Because they lacked local political ties, they posed little risk of rebellion. This made them highly trusted by the rulers, gradually replacing the influence of regional nobles.
Next came tribal levies, providing large numbers of light cavalry, skilled in harassment and reconnaissance.
Finally, there were conscripted militias—numerous but poorly trained—useful mainly as expendable troops.
In battle, Moorish forces typically:
used light cavalry to harass the enemy
feigned retreat
lured opponents into ambush
then surrounded them with heavy cavalry and infantry
Alternatively, they would execute wide flanking maneuvers with massed cavalry to smash enemy lines.
"Your Majesty," Gunnar said, frowning, "you mean that next spring, twenty to thirty thousand Moors may launch a full offensive? That will be difficult."
A hint of hesitation slipped into his voice.
"Duke," Alfonso replied calmly, glancing at his father, "our numbers are not small either. In extreme circumstances, the kingdom can field eight thousand soldiers. And Frankish reinforcements are gathering continuously. We will defeat the Moors."
Then Alfonso presented the offer they had prepared in advance.
After lengthy negotiations, the king agreed:
Gunnar would command the Frankish forces
He would receive priority in distributing captured spoils
"It is an honor to fight for you, Your Majesty," Gunnar said, bowing and accepting the temporary command.
He immediately began organizing training for the Frankish knights.
"Don't stop. Two more laps before breakfast."
A bitter north wind blew under a pale gray sky.
Henry—Gunnar's illegitimate son—ran across the training ground, a shield strapped to his back, snow crunching beneath his boots. From time to time, the knight Oliver shouted encouragement.
After completing the final lap, Henry's legs gave way. He dropped to his knees in the snow, gasping for breath.
After resting a few minutes, he returned to his tent for breakfast.
For two months, Prince Alfonso had requisitioned large quantities of grain and cider from the countryside and ordered fishermen in Gijón to increase their catches—just enough to feed the foreign troops.
Their daily fare was always the same:
bread
fish
apple cider
Henry had grown used to it.
"Slow down," Oliver said, holding a cup of warm cider and gazing toward a wooden fortress on a distant hill. "No one is stealing your food."
After devouring his meal, Henry picked up a cloth bag containing:
books
a quill pen
ink
He headed to the tent of a military priest to study Latin, the language of the upper classes.
At noon, lessons ended.
After lunch and a brief rest, Henry trained in swordsmanship under Oliver's supervision.
This was the hardest part of the day.
Wearing specially designed training armor and wielding a blunt sword, he copied the knight's movements. Sometimes they sparred. Even with armor, injuries were inevitable.
Again and again, Henry fell to the ground.
Again and again, he stood up, retrieved his dropped sword and shield, and continued—until four in the afternoon.
Training over, he changed into dry clothes, led an aging, gentle pack horse from the stable, mounted it, and practiced riding slowly while clumsily striking straw dummies.
At dusk, Henry returned to the stable.
He personally:
brushed the horse
fed it
cared for Oliver's two mounts as well
Only after all the animals were fed did he return to his tent for supper.
Day after day, the routine continued.
This demanding life carried on into the beginning of 865.
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